40 minutes until the next train. Sano, a town I walked through to kill time, became a place I'll never forget

Hello, this is Hoshiume🍜
Today, I'd like to share a small story from my daily life.

On my way home to Tokyo after a business trip.
I was waiting at Sano Station in Tochigi Prefecture for a train that only comes once an hour."I have to wait over 40 more minutes..."

Although it's fresh since it's a station I've never gotten off at before, spending over 40 minutes on an outdoor platform in midsummer listening to the cicadas is quite tough.

Since I was already here, I decided to

take a little walk around the town of Sano.The first place I headed was,

Sano Yakuyoke Daishi Temple.

It's a famous temple that I've seen on TV many times.

I arrived after walking for about 20 minutes from the station.
Walking in midsummer was quite hard, but I prayed while hoping that I could properly cast off the bad luck I wanted to get rid of and welcome some wonderful new connections in its place.
Of course, I also bought a charm for warding off bad luck.

From there, I headed to a nearby Sano ramen shop.

It was around 4:00 PM when I was walking around. Since it was an awkward time and many shops were closed, the one that welcomed me warmly was "Aodake Teuchi Sano Ramen Shop Ra."

Inside the shop, there were
・No photography inside (only ramen is allowed)
・Eat immediately after taking a photo! The noodles will get soggy
・Do not eat while looking at your smartphone
・No ramen tours or ramen trivia
・Do not add too much chili oil or vinegar
・If you want firm noodles, go to another shop
and so on, there were many signs posted.

I couldn't help but straighten my posture.

"Is the owner a bit of a scary person...?"
While I was thinking that, this was brought to me.

Clear soy sauce soup with hand-kneaded, curly noodles made with a blue bamboo rod.
It's exactly what you'd call "this is Sano ramen."

The first thing I thought after taking a bite was,
"I could even eat this with a hangover."
It has such a gentle flavor.

But it's not just bland.
It's a soup where you can really feel the umami and the dedication, and the soft, hand-kneaded noodles slide right into your mouth.

It was a bowl that felt like it was healing even my stomach.

"That was delicious."
Just as I was thinking that, the owner started talking to me.

🍜"Where did you come from?"

🍙"I came from Tokyo on a business trip! It was so delicious. The soup is truly gentle."

🍜"I'm sure there are plenty of delicious shops in Tokyo."

🍙"When I'm in Tokyo all the time, I get a bit tired. Today, I feel like I was able to breathe in Sano, so it's been a good day."

🍜"It's quiet here because almost no foreigners come."

Even though I was a bit braced when I saw the signs, when I talked to him, he was a very calm and kind person.

"Ah, it's because he's this kind of person that he can make this gentle ramen."
That's what I thought.

And then, just as I was about to pay.

"Do you like bitter melon? I'll give you some bitter melon picked from my garden."
Saying that, he gave me three large bitter melons.

I was surprised.

Of course, you can't lump an unfamiliar place together just because it's "the countryside," but I thought experiencing this kind of human warmth and the slow passage of time is one of the joys of walking through regional areas.

I was able to ward off bad luck, encountered delicious ramen, and unexpectedly received kindness.

Who would have thought that waiting for a train could turn into such a wonderful time.

I ended up not taking the train 40 minutes later that I had originally planned to take, and instead took the one after that,
and although it was only a 1-2 hour stay, I'm really glad I stopped by Sano.

Well, once I get home, it's time for the bitter melon stir-fry festival (lol).

*I have included Amazon Associate links. Sano ramen was truly a clear and gentle ramen.
I will share the ramen from famous shops🍜